MANILA, Philippines – Two of the biggest sports patrons in the country have joined forces as the clock winds down on the Philippines’ hosting of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

San Miguel Corporation president Ramon Ang met with Metro Pacific Investments Corporation president Manny Pangilinan on Monday, June 13, to discuss the formation of Gilas Pilipinas for the quadrennial showpiece, among other topics.

Also present in the closed-door meeting held at the SMC office in Mandaluyong were Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio, SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua, and PBA chairman Ricky Vargas.

Expectations are high for Gilas Pilipinas as it looks to bounce back from its dreadful campaign in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, where it lost all of its five games and finished dead last among 32 participating nations.

National head coach Chot Reyes previously said the “best team” for the upcoming World Cup will inevitably include players from the PBA, and most likely, they will come from teams owned by Ang and Pangilinan.

San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra, and Magnolia belong to SMC, while TNT, Meralco, and NLEX play under the MVP group.

The World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Japan and Indonesia, will come off the wraps in August next year. – Rappler.com